Davis d'al Elson
Davis d'al Elson is the first son of the Baron of Hawthorne, a Banecaster of the 3rd caliber, and an officer of the Royal Dragoon regiment. Personality Elson is upbeat, cheerful, and enthusiastic. He is also somewhat arrogant and condescending, taking deep pride in his lineage and firmly believing in baneblooded superiority. He has a strong sense of honour, and is disgusted by acts of unnecessary bloodshed. He is also extremely courageous, making reckless decisions that more prudent characters would not approve of. Unfortunately, this jubilant persona is not entirely genuine. Elson became increasingly depressed as the war carried on, after watching honourable men like Captain Montez die while other comrades like Caius d'al Cazarosta and potentially the Dragoon Officer resorted to ruthless measures to survive. He was also under an immense amount of pressure from his father back in Tierra, who was counting on him to restore the family's fortune and bring glory to the family name, and was insecure about his ability to meet those expectations. Biography Early Life Elson was intelligent and charismatic, but a terrible soldier. Despite this, he had dreams of being a Knight-of-the-Red, and winning glory on the field of battle. Unfortunately, his family could not afford the cost of banehardened armour, and thus that dream was never realized. Family Ties The Elsons of Hawthorne are a poor but influential Cunarian family. Elson claims to have a number of contacts in both Grenadier Square and Royal Tierran Intelligence, and is also cousin-by-marriage to Winthrope d'al Hartigan, the Viscount of Hugh. During the Dozen Years War, when the Councillor-Militant was campaigning in Antar, and his Deputy was negligent, Elson's father effectively ran Grenadier Square in their absence, allowing Elson to receive easy promotions. Military Career Joining the Dragoons Elson joined the Royal Dragoons at the beginning of the war, presumably for the same reason the protagonist did: it was cheap but respectable. He was repeatedly thrown from his horse during training, but was nonetheless determined to keep trying. He became bitter rivals with his roommate, Caius d'al Cazarosta, due to Cazarosta's rudeness and Deathborn status, as well as Elson's own condescending arrogance. He quickly proved to be one of the most popular officers at Fernandescourt, easily making friends with his fellow banebloods. During a mock charge, Elson fell from his horse and was knocked unconscious, but his horse continued to drag him while his foot was still caught in the stirrup. Cazarosta, the commander of the mock charge, chose to keep going, but the Dragoon Officer can save him, either by stopping the charge or by personally stopping his horse and tending to his injuries. He is taken off the field by the banehealers, but recovers in time to join the voyage to Antar. Onboard the HMS Victorious Elson spent most of the voyage seasick, vomiting over the edge of the ship, and it took him a long time to develop his sea legs. During the voyage, Captain Walken decided to attack an Antari merchant ship. A boarding party of Marines was assembled, led by a Sergeant, and the Dragoons were granted permission to join the action. Elson joined along with Cazarosta, but unlike Cazarosta he made no attempt to take command. If Cazarosta is given command of the boarding party, he orders Elson to look for banetraps, and while Elson is able to detect it, the boarding party does not react quickly enough. When Cazarosta is berated for failing to notice the trap, Cazarosta attempts to blame Elson, but Walken does not accept the excuse. Despite their previous disputes, Elson expresses his sympathies for Cazarosta's predicament. Elson later receives a share of the merchant ship's prize money. Arrival in Antar Elson arrived safely in Noringia along with the rest of the regiment. The Dragoon Officer can choose to accompany Elson to the local officer's club, where Elson introduces him to Hartigan, and the player is exposed to the highest intellect check in the game: beating Elson at the Kian game of Quie. After that they part ways, and head to the officer barracks. Elson would not see the Dragoon Officer again for five more years. Early Career Very little is known about Elson's activity in the early years of the war, other than that he was promoted to Lieutenant following a decisive battle against the Antari, despite only having a year of seniority and no remarkable achievements. This was due to his father's influence, and Elson did not feel like he was ready for it, though it is unknown if he shared these concerns with his father at the time. Elson was given command of a troop in 3rd Squadron, under Captain Montez. After Montez died in a skirmish in 607, Elson was promoted to Captain after reporting back to Noringia, because he was the Lieutenant with the most seniority. He was ordered to call the Dragoon Officer out of reserve duty to reinforce 3rd Squadron. The Dragoon Officer then accompanied Elson to a Shrine, which Elson had ordered Cazarosta to secure and convert into a temporary outpost. When they arrived, however, it was revealed that Cazarosta had desecrated the Shrine, destroying the statues of every Antari Saint as well as the Mother of Ascension. Elson was shocked, and reprimanded Cazarosta for this behavior. He then called a staff meeting to discuss how they were to deal with the Antari. Elson planned to have the bulk of the Squadron charge the Antari head-on. While the Antari were busy engaging with Elson, a troop of Dragoons would circle around set fire to the camp. Cazarosta opposed the plan, on the grounds that it was too reckless and did not do enough damage to the enemy, then proposed a plan of his own: a single troop launches a sneak attack against the camp at night, and chases the Antari into an ambush. A debate quickly ensued, with Elson turning to the Dragoon Officer to settle the dispute. If the Dragoon Officer chooses to commit a massacre during the battle, Elson is enraged, and reports the protagonist's crimes to the Duke of Cunaris and Grenadier Square. Depending on how the battle turns out, Elson can potentially receive a Meritorious Service Order reward alongside Cazarosta and the Dragoon Officer. The Battle of Blogia Elson spent most of the battle with the rest of the regiment, observing from afar at Castle Blogia. Initially disappointed at the role his regiment was to play in the battle, he nonetheless attempted to keep his men's spirits up, but became increasingly shocked as the battle carried on: first by the Antari decision to fire into their own men, then by the surprise Hussar charge, and finally by Wulfram's death. Yet when Marras suggested a flanking charge against the Antari infantry, Elson regained his enthusiasm. He ordered Cazarosta to stay behind and guard the castle, becoming enraged when Cazarosta questioned his decision. Although the first charge went well, 3rd Squadron took significant casualties. Elson was unphased, however, and ordered the men to form up for another charge. Before he could execute it, however, they heard war horns from the Antari line, indicating that five thousand enemy light cavalry were about to charge. Then, Elson finally snapped. Despite being separated from the rest of the regiment and only having four troops at his disposal, Elson decided to meet the Antari head-on. When one officer suggested withdrawing to the castle instead, Elson threatened to have him hanged. The Dragoon Officer can choose to ignore this warning and abandon Elson, by retreating to the castle or fleeing the battle entirely. Although there were practical reasons for a frontal cavalry charge - delaying the cavalry so Havenport could have more time to retreat and Cazarosta could reinforce the castle - that was not why Elson did it. The real reason was because he feared withdrawing to the castle would be seen as cowardly, and also because dying heroically in a suicidal cavalry charge meant he would no longer receive promotions he did not deserve, or risk disappointing his family. In short, he put both his honour and the honour of House Elson above the lives of is men. Elson then formed the squadron into a wedge, gave a rousing speech, and charged into the Antari. Missing in Action After the Battle of Blogia, Elson's body was not recovered, and there were no reports of the Antari capturing him or attempting to ransom him back. Officially, he is listed as missing in action, though he is most likely dead. If the Dragoon Officer returns to Blogia he has the option to hold a remembrance ceremony, but fails to find Elson's bones or signet ring among the dead. Quotes "This is the high point, the climax: the very moment where ultimate victory and total defeat teeter in the balance. The actions of a single man might end this battle, and this war. The rest of this campaign, the rest of the world will fade into insignificance compared to the actions of that man and those who fight with him. ... What little price is life, for a chance to be that man?"